Ian Crisp wrote:

>As previously announced, I propose that this time we vote for the most
>definitively twentieth-century pieces of classical music. Not necessarily
>the best pieces written during the century, but the one or ones that future
>generations may look back on as best summing up the particular musical
>nature of this departing century.

While I don't know if my programming would fufill any criteria of being
most "anything,"...Beginning the first week of this year I began a
chronological survey of music from 1900 by including two works in each
of my weekly broadcasts...I would be happy to share that list if there is
interest.  To cover 1900-2000 I had to include, with a few exceptions, two
works.  I tried to represent a variety of styles and attempted to include
many "significant" works.  Often times I tried to present contrast to
illustrate the variety of expression.

It would seem difficult to me to attempt what you are suggesting.  I would
wonder, what is the musical nature of this departing century.  If anything
I would probably say that Leonard Meyer captured much of that idea in his
book "Emotion and Meaning in Music." His idea was that Western Art Music
was approaching a period of stasis...everything and anything goes and that
there wasn't really anything new left to do.

What would be fun would be to ask composers what works of this century
influenced them the most.

Karl